by our College Data Analytics Team
[Me Mechanical Engineering](/majors/engineering/me-mechanical-engineering/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The highest-paying schools turn a me mechanical engineering degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 53 schools on the early-career earnings of their me mechanical engineering graduates.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose me mechanical engineering graduates go on to earn the most.
University Of Michigan Ann Arbor tops our 2026 list of the highest-paying me mechanical engineering schools in the Great Lakes Region. Set in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a public institution. Me Mechanical Engineering graduates of University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earn a median of about $101,514 a year early in their careers.
Students chasing top earnings in me mechanical engineering will find them at University Of Notre Dame, which ranked #2. University Of Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Notre Dame. Students who complete the me mechanical engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $95,893.
A rank of #3 makes Kettering University one of the highest-paying schools for me mechanical engineering. Located in the city of Flint, Kettering University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career me mechanical engineering graduates from Kettering University make a median of around $102,774 per year.
Michigan State University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying me mechanical engineering schools. Located in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a public institution. Me Mechanical Engineering graduates of Michigan State University earn a median of about $99,381 a year early in their careers.
Oakland University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in me mechanical engineering, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Rochester Hills, Oakland University is a public institution. After graduating, me mechanical engineering degree recipients from Oakland University typically earn about $101,107 annually.
Purdue University Main Campus ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying me mechanical engineering schools. Purdue University Main Campus is a public school located in the city of West Lafayette. Me Mechanical Engineering graduates of Purdue University Main Campus earn a median of about $97,551 a year early in their careers.
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying me mechanical engineering schools. Located in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a public institution. After graduating, me mechanical engineering degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign typically earn about $96,770 annually.
Northwestern University ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying me mechanical engineering schools. Set in the city of Evanston, Northwestern University is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, me mechanical engineering degree recipients from Northwestern University typically earn about $104,154 annually.
Ohio State University Main Campus came in at #9 for me mechanical engineering graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a public institution. Early-career me mechanical engineering graduates from Ohio State University Main Campus make a median of around $95,293 per year.
Rose Hulman Institute Of Technology placed #10 among the highest-paying schools for me mechanical engineering. Located in the city of Terre Haute, Rose Hulman Institute Of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career me mechanical engineering graduates from Rose Hulman Institute Of Technology make a median of around $93,120 per year.
Lawrence Technological University ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying me mechanical engineering schools. Located in the city of Southfield, Lawrence Technological University is a private not-for-profit institution. Me Mechanical Engineering graduates of Lawrence Technological University earn a median of about $94,853 a year early in their careers.
Wayne State University came in at #12 for me mechanical engineering graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Detroit, Wayne State University is a public institution. After graduating, me mechanical engineering degree recipients from Wayne State University typically earn about $98,434 annually.
University Of Wisconsin Madison placed #13 among the highest-paying schools for me mechanical engineering. Set in the city of Madison, University Of Wisconsin Madison is a public institution. After graduating, me mechanical engineering degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Madison typically earn about $97,845 annually.
Case Western Reserve University placed #14 among the highest-paying schools for me mechanical engineering. Located in the city of Cleveland, Case Western Reserve University is a private not-for-profit institution. Me Mechanical Engineering graduates of Case Western Reserve University earn a median of about $92,158 a year early in their careers.
University Of Michigan Dearborn earned the #15 position for me mechanical engineering graduate earnings this year. University Of Michigan Dearborn is a public school located in the city of Dearborn. Students who complete the me mechanical engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $99,846.
University Of Toledo landed the #16 spot for me mechanical engineering salaries this year. Located in the city of Toledo, University Of Toledo is a public institution. Me Mechanical Engineering graduates of University Of Toledo earn a median of about $89,223 a year early in their careers.
Saginaw Valley State University ranked #17 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying me mechanical engineering schools. Located in the suburb of University Center, Saginaw Valley State University is a public institution. Me Mechanical Engineering graduates of Saginaw Valley State University earn a median of about $89,093 a year early in their careers.
Michigan Technological University landed the #18 spot for me mechanical engineering salaries this year. Set in the town of Houghton, Michigan Technological University is a public institution. Students who complete the me mechanical engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $90,615.
University Of Dayton came in at #19 for me mechanical engineering graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Dayton, University Of Dayton is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, me mechanical engineering degree recipients from University Of Dayton typically earn about $93,487 annually.
University Of Cincinnati Main Campus came in at #20 for me mechanical engineering graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Cincinnati, University Of Cincinnati Main Campus is a public institution. Early-career me mechanical engineering graduates from University Of Cincinnati Main Campus make a median of around $90,998 per year.
Grand Valley State University placed #21 among the highest-paying schools for me mechanical engineering. Set in the town of Allendale, Grand Valley State University is a public institution. Students who complete the me mechanical engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $85,738.
Bradley University placed #22 among the highest-paying schools for me mechanical engineering. Located in the city of Peoria, Bradley University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career me mechanical engineering graduates from Bradley University make a median of around $90,408 per year.
Ohio Northern University earned the #23 position for me mechanical engineering graduate earnings this year. Located in the town of Ada, Ohio Northern University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career me mechanical engineering graduates from Ohio Northern University make a median of around $88,267 per year.
Marquette University ranked #24 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying me mechanical engineering schools. Set in the city of Milwaukee, Marquette University is a private not-for-profit institution. Me Mechanical Engineering graduates of Marquette University earn a median of about $87,345 a year early in their careers.
Central Michigan University came in at #25 for me mechanical engineering graduate earnings this year. Central Michigan University is a public school located in the town of Mount Pleasant. Early-career me mechanical engineering graduates from Central Michigan University make a median of around $91,993 per year.
Not far behind, these schools also produced high-earning me mechanical engineering graduates:
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries me mechanical engineering graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 53 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.